cell phones: dial *677

[garryd451]

Has anyone ever heard of dialing *677 for emergency help on your cell phone? A friend tells me this will get You striaght throught to the State Police, no matter what part of the United States, you are located. Is this true?

 

[MacombMonitor]

I Googled it, and it appears to be an urban legend. Apparently at one time, this worked to some extent in Canada, but they discouraged it's use.

 

[hiegtx]

Gary, that's not universally true. Partiipatiion varies between cellular companies & the acronym a particular state uses.

Here in Texas, with participating cell providers, it's *DPS (*377) to reach the state police for assistance (or, of course, 911).

 

[BoxAlarm187]

In Virginia, it's #77 to reach the state police, and North Carolina uses *HP (*47).

Dialing 911 goes to the local PSAP, not directly to the state police.

 

[garryd451]

Thanks for your replies, as far as I can tell even if it works in some places it won't work everywhere

 

[mikewazowski]

Has anyone ever heard of dialing *677 for emergency help on your cell phone? A friend tells me this will get You striaght throught to the State Police, no matter what part of the United States, you are located. Is this true?

*677 is short for *OPP which will allow you to contact the Ontario Provincial Police in an emergency.

Of course, only cell providers in Ontario have activated this service. 911 is the preferred method of reaching the OPP in an emergency but *677 does still work.

Doubtful it would work anywhere else.

 

[Thunderbolt]

The last time I was in the "Show Me State," the Missouri State Highway Patrol used *55 as the main number to reach them in case of an emergency on any state highway. As more and more counties work towards implementing E9-1-1 centers, hopefully 9-1-1 will become the more popular number to dial in that state.

73's

Ron